Tube and the like mill



Oct. 22, 1'940.-

J. E. KENNEDY Y TUBE Arm THE LIKE MILL 2 Sheets-ShamI l lFiled July 2. 19.3 7

l ,1. E. KENNEDY TUBE AND THE LIKE HILL Filed July l2, 1951 2 sheets-sham 2 v lNvEN'roR j.' E.' Kennedy ATToRNE oriented @sa 229 i4@ rrg arrasa@ 'runs Ann rien a r.

Application July 2, i937, Serial No. 151,637

2 Claims.

This invention relates to material reducing means commonly termed tube or ball mills, including a shell or drum rotatably supported'by hollow trunnions extended axially from the op- .isA posite ends of the drum and in which mills the material to be reduced is fed into the drum and the reduced material delivered from the drum through a drum trunnion, the drum having grinding means or elements therein operative by the rotation of the drum to reduce material in the drum. Drums in mills of this 'character are usually rotated by a driving pinion rotatable on an axis extending parallelly of the axis of the drum meshing with an annular gear mounted on and extending about the drum, or through worm gearing applied to a supporting trunnion of the drum. By either of said means and method of` rotating the drum lateral thrusts are transmitted to the bearings and supports of the drum as 2'0' well. as to the gearing of the driving means not only causing undue wearing of the bearings and supports as well as of the gearing, but such bearings and supports and gearing are exposed and dust and other foreign substances accumulate thereon.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the above disadvantages in the driving means for tube or ball mills by the provision of improved vmeans to connect the driving means to a trunnion of the drum and transmit the driving forces tol thel drum axially thereof and thus eliminate lateral thrusts on the bearings and supports for `the drum and prevent transmitting torsional stresses to the driving means by the rotation of thedrum.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved means for connecting the driving means to a trunnion of the drum of a tube or ball mill through which the material to' be re- 40' duced is fed into the drum and arrange the con` necting means to receive and feed the material into and through the drum trunnion into the drum by the rotation of said means with the drum.

In connecting driving means axially to the drum of a tube mill, and particularly when the driving means comprises an electric motor the' shaft of which is connected axially to the drum,v

' it is difficult if not impossible tomount the motor v and drum of the mill so that the shaft, of the motor is co-axially of the drum, and even though the motor and drum are axially alined at the time they are set up it is impossible to maintain the alinement due to wearing of the parts,

' particularly of the drum bearings, with the result that there are transmitted lateral thrusts of considerable force to the connecting means due to the load of the drum of the mill, and which thrusts may result in damage tothe motor.

It is another object of the invention to provide improved means to axiallycouple the driving means with the drum of the mill and which coupling means is adapted to automatically adjust itself to compensate for misalinement between the motor and the drum of the mill, and

to provide an enclosing and lubricant carrying housing for said coupling means.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for connecting driving means axially to tube mills of the airswept type wherein the drum is provided with axial supporting trunnlons,

and the material to be reduced is fed through a supporting trunnion into the drum of the mill and an air stream is drawn through the feed trunnion of the drum and delivered from the drum with the reduced material in suspension therein, and provide means to connect the driving means axially to the feed trunnion of the drum and to arrange said connecting means to receive material and deliver the same through the trunnion into the drum, and in combination therewith means to feed material to said connecting means and in. conjunction with the drive connecting means provide a substantially air tight connection with the feed trunnion and arranged for connection thereto of a conduit for admitting air through said means and the feed trunnion into the drum.

In tube mills including a drum arranged with supporting trunnions it is essential that the trunnion bearings be supplied with lubricant to prevent undue wearing of the parts, and it is another object of the invention to provide improved means to provide the trunnion bearings with a lubricant carrying well or chamber together with 'means operative from the rotation of the drum to elevate the lubricant from the wells to above the axis of rotation of the trunnions and cause such lubricant to be distributed over the trunnions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application, A

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the drum o f a tube mill andan electric motor in side elevation and showing an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective -view ofv component parts of the flexible and adjustable coupling for being provided with hollow trunnions I0, II exconnecting driving means axially to the drum of the mill, the parts being shown in disassembled relation. A

Figure 3 is an end elevation taken substantially on the line 3-3' 0f Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a longitudinalsectional view, on an enlarged scale as compared with Figure 1, of the means for adjustably and iiexibly connecting tended laterally therefrom axially of the drum and adapted to engage and support the drum in bearings I2 of semi-circular form in cross section.

.. Semi-circular plates I2 are secured to the opposite ends of the bearings and arranged to diverge from the bearings with the arcuate edge engaging the drum trunnions with an interposed dust seal, thus providing a lubricant carrying chamber or well about said bearings. The drum trunnions are retained 'in the bearings by semi-circular cap members I3 engaged over and spaced from the top of the trunnions and secured to the bearings. Plates I3' corresponding in shape to 'the plates I2' are secured to the ends of the cap members and adapted to engage the drum trunnions with an interposeddust seal. Each of the trunnions is provided on the interior thereof with a screw conveyor in the form of a spiral rib or screw arranged to enter material from the trun nions into theC drum, and shown as arranged on sleeves I4 mounted in the drum trunnions. -In

.the present instance the trunnion I constitutes a discharge trunnion and to retainthe sleeve I4 therein it is provided with an annular laterally extending flange adapted to abut the end of the trunnion and secured thereto by screws, as at I5, the opposite end of the sleeve abutting a liner I6 for the closure ends of the shell. Thefdrum trunnion II constitutes the .charging trunnion of the drum. The inner end of the sleeve I4 in said trunnion abuts the liner I6 for the closure at said end of the shell, and the sleeve is retained in the Vtrunnion by a head H secured to the end of the trunnion and through which head driving means is connected to thedrum, the head being arj ranged to receive and deliver the material to be reduced therethroughinto the drum II. as shown in Figures 4 and 5. f

The means to connect or couple the driving means axially to the drum trunnion comprises the head H fixed concentrically to and with one end ofthe head H abutting the end of the trunnion I I by screws passed through openings spaced about an annular laterally extending ilange I1 at 'said end of the head and threaded into the end of the trunnion. The head H is provided with passages I8, in the present instance four in number, having inlets opening through a peripheral wall portion I9 of the head and each inlet extending about the head through an arc of ninety degrees. The passages extend from the peripheral wall portion I9 through the head and converge from the inlets in a direction toward the axis and the end of the head at which it is connected to the drum trunion and having outlets opening through said end of the head about the aids of the head. The inner surface of the one wall 20 of the passages inclines from the peripheral wall portion I9 toward the axis of the head and terminates in a circular wall portion 2| at the end of the head extending transversely of the axis of the head. The opposed surface 22 of the passages extends from the peripheral wall portion I9 at the juncture thereof with the flange I1 and diverges from the opposed surface of the wall 20 and terminates at the end of the head, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The passages are separated by walls or partitions 23, which are in the nature of scoops shown as four in number equidistantly spaced about the head and arranging the head with the four passages. A portion' 23 of said separating walls extends substantially tangentially to the circular wall portion 2| of the head with'the inner edge terminating within said circular wall portion 2I and diverging outwardly from the face of Wall 2D to the wall 22 of the passage, as shown in Figure 4. The separating or scoop walls are of obtuse angle form in longitudinal section with one angle portion 23' extend# ing substantially in the plane of the inner edge or end for approximately one-half the length of the partitions and of the diameter of the head H. The other angle portionof the partitions, as 238i,Y diverges outwardly in the direction of rotation of the drum, shown by the arrow in Figure 3, and

extend beyond the peripheral Wall portion I9 and terminate slightly within and the outer edge extending in the plane of the periphery of the ange I1. One edge of said projecting portion of the partitions extends in the plane of the face of the Wall 20, the opposite edge extending parallelly of the end'of the iiange I1, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The front face of ,the projecting portion of the partitions is undercut, as at 23h, and extends from the outer end for an extent substantially equal to the portion projecting from the peripheral wall portion I9.

Secured to the undercut portion 23b of the partitions are members of wear resisting material, such as manganese steel, as shown in Figure 6, said members being arranged with a portion 24 to engage the undercut portion 23b of the partitions and a wall portion 24 arranged in angular relation to and at one end of the portion 24 to incline at the saine angle as the face of the wall 20 and one face constituting a continuation of the face of .said wall 20 of the passages. 'I'he Wall portion 24 is arranged With a ilange 24a ex- ,tendijng laterailytherefrom and shaped to the curvature of and adapted to engage a peripheral wall portion I9', said members being secured 4to the'head byv a screw 24b extending through removal of core sand from said chamber adapted to be closed by a plug26 threaded therein.

Thedrum is driven or rotated from suitable driving means and shown as a combined electric),

motor M speed reducingmeans S mountem amano' on a suitable foundation with the driving shaft thereof arranged coaxially of the drum and operatively connected to thev drum to apply the driving force axially of the drum through means adapted to flexibly couple the driving means to the drum and to automatically adjust itself to compensate for axial disalinement of the drum relative to the vdriving shaft of the driving means. For this purpose a portion of increased thickness of the head wall 25 is arranged with a recess 21 to extend diametrically thereof. A member 28A including a disk portion arranged with ahub whereby it is mounted on the shaft 29 of the driving means to rotate therewith, said member having a recess 28 in and extending diametrically of the face of the disk portion thereof. To connect or couple the member 28 to the head H there is provided` a coupling member in the form of a disk 38 adapted to be interposed bet'ween the wall 25 of the head and the disk portion of the member 28, the coupling disk having a. rib 3| projecting from one face thereof and ex' tending diametrically of said face, and a rib 32 projecting from and diametrically of the lopposite face of said disk and at a right angle to the rib 3l. One of said ribs ofthe disk 30 is adapted to slidably engage in the recess of the wall 25 of the head H and the other of said ribs to slidably engage the recess 28? in the disk portion of the member 28, the disk 30 being of a thickness substantially equal to the spacingof the disk portion of the member 28 from the wall. 25 of the head H. The driving means and the drum of the mill are mounted upon foundations to prevent axial or lateral diplacement of one relative to the other and by the arrangement of connecting vor coupling, the driving means with the drum of the mill through the coupling member 30 any displacement of the driving means or drum one relative to the other laterally of the axis thereof, or one out of axial alinement with the other, will be compensated for through the automatic adjustment of the coupling disk 3D relative to the member 28 and the wall 25 of the head H,

To lubricate the coupling between the ldrum and driving means an enclosing and lubricant carrying housing is provided for the same, shown as comprising a tubular member or sleeve ,33 of yielding material circumferentially corrugated whereby the sleeve is adapted to be longitudi-rl nally expansible and contractible as well as laterally flexible; This sleeve engages about the coupling member. 30 and its connections with the member 28 and the lhead H. The one end of vthe sleeve is flanged laterally, whereby it is secured to the wall 25 of the Ahead H by lclamping the same thereto by a ring member 36 and screws asshown at 34 in Figure 4. At the opposite end the sleeve is clamped by a ring member, as at 36, to the periphery of an annular member 35 secured to an annular flange, as at 31, extending laterally from the-member 28. To ll lubricant into the housing the annulargmember 35 is provided with an opening closed by a screw threaded closure plugv 38. -By the lrotation of the lubricant housing 33 with the drum the lubricant is carried or elevated above the axis of rotation of the coupling means and to assure lubricating the connection of the coupling member with the member 28 and the head H the member 28 is provided with ducts. 39 leading therethrough at the juncture of the disk portion with the hub of said member in a direction toward the axis thereof and recess 28', and the coupling mem-- ber 30 is provided with an axial bore 40 leading to the recess 21 in the head wall 25. The drum is rotated by the driving means in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3 and by the arrangement of the portion 23a the separating partitions 23 for the passages through the head H the thrust of the driving forces is transmitted to the head H and the drum in a direction longitudinally through said portions 23a of the partitions with the result that there are no lateral stresses exerted on the partitions that tend to break the same.

As stated,'the driving meansis connected to the feed trunnion Il of an air swept tube mill wherein an air stream is drawn into and from the drum of the mill through a -drum trunnion. i

In the present instance the air stream isvdrawn into the drum through the feed trunnion II and from the drum with pulverized material insuspension therein through the trunnion l0. To admit air into the drum trunnion at atmospheric temperature or heated, and to provide a substantially air tight connection with means to feed material to the material feeding passages in the head H, there is provided a housing comprising an annular or sleeve member 4I having a bearing at one end on a reduced portion of the head H, as at lila, the sleeve extending outwardly in enclosing relation to the corrugated lubricant carrying housing 33 and the outer end flanged laterally. Disposed about and spaced from the sleeve member 4I are upper and lower housing sections 42, 43 of semi-circular form and each section arranged with outwardly extending anges and the anges of one section adapted toerigage the flanges of the other section and whereby the sections are secured together, as by' bearing. on the head flange I1as at 42', and the other leg ,secured to the laterally extending.

ange of the sleeve 4I, as at 4I'. The section 42 is provided with a hollow or tubular laterally extending-portion 44' (Figure 3) in communication with the housing above the axis thereof and at one side of a line extending vertically through the axisy of the housing and adapted for connection of a conduit 45 leading from a source of air supply. The section is also vprovided with a laterally extending tubular portion 46 in cornrnunication with the housing section 42 above the axis and at the side opposite the portion 44 and in line with the inlet openings to the material passages in the head H, said portion 48 being adapted for connection with a hopper outlet 41 extending downwardly from the bottom of and communicating with a housing 48 enclosing means to feed material to the material feeding passages in the head H.

The lower housing section 43 has a wall portion 43 to extend transversely of and contiguous to theportion of the head H with the inlets for the passages in the head below the axis thereof and a wall portion 43a of increased diameter and substantially of U-shape in cross section, one leg of which portion has a part extending beyond the I arranging the head H with the portions I9, I9' of reduced diameter there are provided entrances between the portions of the scoop or partition walls extending beyond said peripheral portions I9,'I9 of the head H, for the passage therethrough to the passages in the head of the air admitted into the housing through theinlet 44.

The means for feeding thematerial to be reduced to the feeding passages in the head H is shown as a disk feeder including a disk 50 supported to rotate in a horizontal plane in the housing 48 with a peripheral portion thereof intersecting the .outlet 41, and a scraper 5I intersecting the periphery of and extending radially inward above the disk adapted to deliver 'the material from the disk, the disk being rotated by a motor M' operatively connected thereto. To feed material to the disk the housing is provided with a material inlet hopper 52 above and axially of the disk. The material is delivered from the disk into the inlet of the passages in the head H at a point at one side of the axis of the head and as the material is elevated by the scoop or partition walls 23 above the axis 'of the head by the rotation thereof the material is caused to W through the passages in the head Hand from the outlets'thereof into the drum trunnion II and by the arrangement of the screw conveyer or spiral rib in said trunnion is fed through the trunnion into the drum. Any material that may spill from the scoops or partition walls 23 into the portion 43' of the housing section 43 will be scooped up and delivered by the scoops or partition Walls into the drum trunnion.

By arranging the trunnion bearings I2 with the members I2', and providing the bearing cap I3 with the sides I3 there is provided a chamber about the drum trunnions adapted to contain lubricant and thus provide for effective lubricating of the drum trunnions and bearings. To increase the capacity-of said lubricant carrying chamber the bearings I2 are provided with a well by mounting said bearings on bearing blocks I2 and arranging said bearing blocks with a channel .or well therein in communication with the chamber at opposite sides of the .bearings through ducts I2b. In order to reduce the quantity of lubricant required whereby the lubricant will be at a level below the axis of the drum trunnions and to distribute the lubricant over the top of the trunnions, means are provided to elevate the lubricant from below the axis of the drum trunnions and direct the same over the trunnions above the axis of rotation thereof. For this purpose annular plates 54 of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the chamber formed by the plates I2', I3 are mounted on the end of the trunnions concentrically thereof by clamping the one plate 54 between the end of trunnion II and the head H and clamping the other plate 54 between the end of the trunnion I0 andthe laterally extending flange of the sleeve I4 in said trunnion, vas at I5. The peripheral portion of the'plates 54 is flanged laterally to extend into the chambers. The plates 54 rotate with the drum and the lubricant adhering to the platesis elevated above the axis of the trunnions' and is scraped from the plates and caused to be distributed over the top of the trunnions by plates 55 fixed to and suspended from the top of the bearing' caps I3,with a side edge of the plates 55 engaging theplates 54 and the lower edge flanged laterally and declining from the plates 54, the plates 55 being of a width to extend from the end of the trunnions to substantially midway the length thereof.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a tube mill including a horizontal axis drum having hollow axial trunnions to rotatably support the drum, means to feed material into and connect the drum axially to the drive shaft of power means to rotate the drum, comprising a feeder vdevice including a, one piece cylindrical head adapted to be connected at one end to a drum trunnionv and arranged to deliver material therethrough into the drum by the rotation of the head with the drum and having a recess extending diametrically of the opposite end, a disk having an axial hub adapted for mounting the disk on a drive shaft to rotate therewith and having a recess extending diametrically of the opposite face thereof, a coupling disk interposed l between the recessed end of the head and first disk having ribs projecting from and extending diametrically of the opposite faces thereof and at a right angle to each other slidably engaging in the recesses in the head and first disk, a longitudinally expansible and contractile and later.- ally exible tubular member disposed about the coupling disk and its connections to the first disk andhead and in co-operation with the head and first disk forming a lubricant carrying housing hub toward the axis and opening through the face of said disk to the bottom disk.

2. In a tube mill including a horizontal axis drum' having hollow axial trunnions to rotatably support the drum, means to feed. material into of said recesses in said and connect the drum axially to the drive shaft of power means to rotate the drum, comprising a feeder device including a one piece cylindrical head adapted to be connectedat one end to a drum trunnion and arranged to deliver material therethrough into the drum by the rotation of the head with the drum and having a recess extending diametrically of the opposite end, a disk having an axial hub adapted for mounting the disk on a drive shaft to rotate therewith and having a recess extending diametrically of the opposite face thereof, and arranged with ducts extended through and converging from the junctureof the disk with the hub toward, the axis and opening through the face of said disk to the bottom of the recess therein, a coupling disk interposed between the recessed end of the head and first disk having ribs projecting from and extending diametrically of the opposite faces sol thereof and at a right angle to each other slidably engaging in the recesses in the head and first disk,' and arranged with an axial bore in communication with the recesses in the head and first disk, and a tubular member disposed about the coupling disk connected at the ends to and in conjunction with the head and first disk forming a lubricant carrying lfousing about the coupling disk and its connections with said head and first disk and in communication with the ducts through the rst disk.

JOSEPH E. KENNEDY. 

